Shielding is the only countermeasure currently available for exposure to cosmic radiation during space travel. We compared aluminum (Al) and polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA, or lucite) shields of 20 g/cm^2 thickness using 1 GeV protons accelerated at the NASA Space Radiation Laboratory. The dose rate increased after the shield, and the increase was more pronounced after the Al than the PMMA shield. No significant differences in the induction of chromosomal aberrations were observed in human lymphocytes exposed to the same dose with no shield or behind the Al and PMMA blocks. However, the biological effectiveness per incident proton was increased by the shields. Simulations using the General-Purpose Particle and Heavy-Ion Transport Code System (PHITS) show that the increase in dose is caused by target fragments, and aluminum produces more secondary protons than PMMA. Nevertheless, the spectrum of particles behind the shield is confined within the low-LET region, and the biological effectiveness is consequently similar.

BibTeX @article{Mancusi2007,author={Mancusi, Davide and Bertucci, Antonella and Gialanella, Giancarlo and Grossi, Gianfranco and Manti, Lorenzo and Pugliese, Mariagabriella and Rusek, Adam and Scampoli, Paola and Sihver, Lembit and Durante, Marco},title={Comparison of aluminum and lucite for shielding against 1 GeV protons},journal={Advances in Space Research},issn={0273-1177},volume={40},issue={4},pages={581–585},abstract={Shielding is the only countermeasure currently available for exposure to cosmic radiation during space travel. We compared aluminum (Al) and polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA, or lucite) shields of 20 g/cm^2 thickness using 1 GeV protons accelerated at the NASA Space Radiation Laboratory. The dose rate increased after the shield, and the increase was more pronounced after the Al than the PMMA shield. No significant differences in the induction of chromosomal aberrations were observed in human lymphocytes exposed to the same dose with no shield or behind the Al and PMMA blocks. However, the biological effectiveness per incident proton was increased by the shields. Simulations using the General-Purpose Particle and Heavy-Ion Transport Code System (PHITS) show that the increase in dose is caused by target fragments, and aluminum produces more secondary protons than PMMA. Nevertheless, the spectrum of particles behind the shield is confined within the low-LET region, and the biological effectiveness is consequently similar.},year={2007},keywords={Protons, Shielding, Chromosome aberrations, Fragmentation},}

RefWorks RT Journal ArticleSR ElectronicID 67772A1 Mancusi, DavideA1 Bertucci, AntonellaA1 Gialanella, GiancarloA1 Grossi, GianfrancoA1 Manti, LorenzoA1 Pugliese, MariagabriellaA1 Rusek, AdamA1 Scampoli, PaolaA1 Sihver, LembitA1 Durante, MarcoT1 Comparison of aluminum and lucite for shielding against 1 GeV protonsYR 2007JF Advances in Space ResearchSN 0273-1177VO 40IS 4AB Shielding is the only countermeasure currently available for exposure to cosmic radiation during space travel. We compared aluminum (Al) and polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA, or lucite) shields of 20 g/cm^2 thickness using 1 GeV protons accelerated at the NASA Space Radiation Laboratory. The dose rate increased after the shield, and the increase was more pronounced after the Al than the PMMA shield. No significant differences in the induction of chromosomal aberrations were observed in human lymphocytes exposed to the same dose with no shield or behind the Al and PMMA blocks. However, the biological effectiveness per incident proton was increased by the shields. Simulations using the General-Purpose Particle and Heavy-Ion Transport Code System (PHITS) show that the increase in dose is caused by target fragments, and aluminum produces more secondary protons than PMMA. Nevertheless, the spectrum of particles behind the shield is confined within the low-LET region, and the biological effectiveness is consequently similar.LA engDO 10.1016/j.asr.2006.11.033LK http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.asr.2006.11.033OL 30